


Take The Weight

by found_the_good_things



Category: We Are The Tigers - Allen
Genre: @ my best friend this is your fault, F/F, also kate absolutely has sung take the weight for eva, she/they kate because it's my fic and i make the rules, they're bonding, you introduced me to this song
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28849665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/found_the_good_things/pseuds/found_the_good_things
Summary: After the second sleepover, Eva and Kate are both being crushed by the weight of everything they have to carry, and someone just needs to take the weight for them.Inspired by Take The Weight, by Rob Rokicki and Kristin Stokes.
Relationships: Kate/Eva Sanchez (We Are The Tigers)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Take The Weight

**Author's Note:**

> i literally listened to take the weight for like five hours right before i wrote this
> 
> anyways you should listen to it, it's very good and very much implied to be annabeth to percy
> 
> tw: mention of chess at one point

Kate's glad to be home - it's far nicer than the hospital was - but she's not exactly glad to be alone. Which is why, when Eva offered to come over, Kate said yes, despite barely knowing her.

They've been sitting in silence in the living room for maybe half an hour? It definitely _could_ have been awkward, but Kate's quickly starting to realize that being near Eva might never be awkward.

"Hey, um," Eva says softly, snapping Kate out of their thoughts, "so if you'd rather just keep not talking, I'm good with that, but like, I know that right now you have, um, a lot going on. And-and if you need to, like, rant or anything, I can listen."

Kate shrugs. "Dunno. How're _you_? I mean, the same night you joined the murder squad, our captain confessed to murder and tried to kill us all, so…"

Eva fidgets anxiously with a hair tie. "I don't know. Like, I guess- I've always been so good at handling stressful situations, you know? I've done two week long projects in one night and gotten an A on them. But this is all so… new."

It's quiet for another moment, but Kate suddenly can't take the silence anymore. "You know that saying, 'the weight of the world's on my shoulders'?" They wait for Eva's nod before continuing. "I think that comes from that old mythology story about Atlas. You know, the titan that holds up the sky? And like, it's stupid, but I keep thinking about it, and it kind of seems like a good analogy. Like, he got dealt his hand of cards, and it sucks, and so does mine." Kate shrugs again, unable to look at Eva.

"I get it," Eva says softly. "Like, life is full of rotten deals, you know? And the people that need a break are always the ones that get stuck with that kind of shit." She hesitates, but Kate gestures for her to keep going. "And… it's like your Atlas analogy. Everyone always expects so much, there's so much weight on your shoulders, and you just wish you were stronger-"

"Because you know you're not strong enough, and you're gonna fall," Kate finishes. They finally make eye contact with each other, and something in Kate's stomach flutters.

"Yeah. Yeah, like that." Eva draws in a breath. "You just can't hold on much longer."

"And you're sure that you're about to lose everything." Kate looks down at her wrist, at the black string bracelet Chess gave her years ago.

Eva sighs. "And you just need someone to take the weight for you."

They make eye contact again, and Kate knows, all at once, that Eva gets it. She might not understand everything, but she gets it.

~

After that first day, Kate is constantly seeking out Eva's company. They're a bit worried about being annoying, but Eva understands and Eva is always there. Kate could probably tell Eva anything, metaphorically cut herself open and spill everything they've been carrying for years, and Eva would be there.

Right now, they're walking to practice together, side by side, talking about everything and nothing. Sometimes their hands brush, and they're definitely taking the long, _long_ way to the gym. Kate's pretty sure they know what exactly they're feeling for Eva, but that's too much on top of everything else to think about.

"You okay?" Eva asks suddenly.

"I- yeah, why?"

"You just… seem a little on edge." Eva looks a bit embarrassed. "Sorry."

"No, I- you're right." Kate tightens her grip on her bag strap. "It's… it's weird, but you… you make me kind of… on edge. Uneasy. I don't know." She laughs bitterly, humorlessly. "I'm probably, like, broken or something."

"I think we're both a little broken," Eva says quietly. When Kate risks a glance her way, she's staring at a poster, looking thoughtful.

Kate reaches for her hand before they even know what they're doing. "So maybe you can see me."

Eva looks back at her, eyes wide, but takes their hand and squeezes a little, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

They stand there, just holding hands for a minute, and Kate feels like she's walking the edge of a knife, not sure what side they'll fall on. "Is this… weird?"

"It's a good weird," Eva promises.

They keep walking to practice, and Kate knows she should let go, but for whatever reason, they just… can't.

~

Eva's late.

They always, always meet up here for their off period. No exceptions. But it's been ten minutes and Eva isn't here.

Eva wouldn't just… ghost Kate without saying anything, right?

Ignoring the voice in their head that's telling her _you've fucked it up again, you've lost Eva, too_ , Kate stands up, deciding that sitting alone is too much and they need to go find her.

Kate's searched most of the empty hallways before she finally finds Eva, sitting in an empty classroom, shaking and silently crying.

"Oh, shit," Kate mumbles, rushing to Eva's side. Eva looks at them, and she looks so small and scared that Kate's heart breaks a little for her.

"Kate," Eva chokes out. "What-"

"Hey, I'm- I'm here," Kate promises. She sits next to Eva, trying to go as slowly as possible to avoid scaring her, and Eva lets them. "Are you okay?"

Eva shrugs, her breath coming uneven and gasping. "I- fuck, I-"

"It's okay." Kate reaches for her hand, and Eva holds on like she's afraid if she lets go, she'll die. "I can stay until you feel better, okay?"

Eva sighs, and they sit together in silence for maybe years. Kate tries to breathe slowly, evenly, and Eva struggles to match their breathing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kate asks quietly when Eva's calmed down.

Eva shrugs a little. "It's just… I just… it felt like the universe was just seeing how much I could take before I broke."

Kate squeezes her hand.

"I was definitely crying over something stupid, but…" Eva sighs. "It wasn't just the stupid thing. It's everything."

Kate reaches over and brushes Eva's hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"I'm here," Kate promises. Eva looks at them, eyes red from crying. "You can let me take some of the weight for you, okay? You don't have to deal with everything alone."

"You've got your shit."

"So do you. And you can't keep dealing with everyone else's problems and then keeping yours to yourself." Kate rubs the back of Eva's hand with their thumb. "Let me take some of the weight, okay?"

Eva draws in a breath, and it's not as shaky as it could've been. "Okay."

They sit in silence in the corner of a dark, empty classroom until the bell rings, holding hands and breathing together. Even when they have to walk to their next classes, they hold hands until they absolutely have to separate.

Halfway through class, Kate's phone buzzes, and surprisingly, it's Eva. They wait until her teacher is across the room before checking.

eva

Hey um so, I just keep thinking, can't stop thinking, about earlier, and the thing is, that's the first time anyone else has been there when I broke down in like forever. And I feel like I should be embarrassed, but I'm not. I trust you. A lot. And it's scary, I'm scared, but I trust you. And I really like you. Do you… want to go on a date sometime? With me? If you don't want to, that's okay. You have a lot going on.

yeah

that sounds nice

Kate has to put their phone away before they get caught, but there's an out-of-place excitement filling her up, warmth spreading from her chest to their fingertips.

They think about the Atlas analogy from so many weeks ago. And how they'd both had the feeling of just needing someone else to take the weight sometimes. Kate could take the weight on Eva's shoulders, and Eva could take the weight on Kate's shoulders, and they'd be okay.

They haven't even planned out their first date, but for the first time in ages, Kate thinks that maybe, just maybe, they've found someone she can keep. Someone who won't leave.


End file.
